1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to armor made of ceramic with transformed nanotube material and to methods for making such armor.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a wide variety of known ceramic articles and methods for making them. There are known ceramic articles containing carbon nanotubes and methods for making them.
Prior patents and applications disclose a variety of carbon nanotubes, films, and coatings ceramic articles, ceramic articles containing carbon nanotubes, films, coatings and methods for making them; including, but not limited to, those in exemplary U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,581,645; 7,578,939; 7,442,414; 7,306,828; 7,122,710; 7,041,372; 6,911,260; 6,858,173; 6,826,996; 6,420,293; 5,824,940; 5,618,875; 5,424,054; U.S. application Ser. Nos. 12/189,684 filed 11 Aug. 2008; 12/025,626 filed 4 Feb. 2008; 11/924,948 filed 26 Oct. 2007; 11/659,407 filed 2 Aug. 2005; 11/656,603 filed 23 Jan. 2007; 11/579,750 filed 31 May 2005; 11/450,221 filed 9 Jun. 2006; 11/090,259 filed 25 Mar. 2005; 10/984,619 filed 9 Nov. 2004; 10/859,346 filed 3 Jun. 2004; 10/759,356 filed 16 Jan. 2004; 10/714,187 filed 14 Nov. 2003; 10/536,688 filed 25 Nov. 2003; and 10/366,183 filed 13 Feb. 2003; 10/182,081 filed 1 Feb. 2001; and Pct Applications PCT/US2004/019015; PCT/US2006/015919 (all said patents and applications incorporated fully herein for all purposes).
Graphite layers, graphene ribbons, and articles with them are well known. Exemplary patents and applications which disclose them include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,550,129; 7,510,762; 7,396,494; 7,015,142; and 6,537,515; and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/243,165 filed 10 Oct. 2008 (which is not an exhaustive list; and all said patents and applications incorporated fully herein for all purposes).
Ceramic articles with carbon nanotubes are discussed in many publications, including, but not limited to, in “Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites—A Review,” Journal of Minerals & Materials Characterization & Engineering, Volume 7, Number 4, 2008, pp. 355-370. Graphene is discussed generally in many publications, including, but not limited to, in “Graphene: Carbon As Thin As Can Be,” Chemical & Engineering News, Volume 87, Number 9, Mar. 2, 2009, pp. 14-20.
A wide variety of armor and armor employing ceramic material is known. Armor with ceramic and carbon nanotubes is known. Prior patents disclose various forms of armor, armor with ceramic material, and armor with ceramic material and carbon nanotubes, including, but not limited to (and meant only as an exemplary and not an exhaustive listing); U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,513,186; 7,041,372; 6,826,996; 6,568,310; 6,112,635; 5,996,115; 5,824,940; 5,763,813; 5,443,917; 5,377,935; 5,371,049; 5,361,678; 5,221,807; and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/189,684 filed 11 Aug. 2008; 11/656,603 filed 23 Jan. 2007; 11/450,221 filed 9 Jun. 2006; and 10/859,346 filed 3 Jun. 2004.
There has long been a need, recognized by the present inventors, for durable, effective low weight armor with carbon nanomaterial and efficient methods for making such armor.